But it�s been suggested that the name of the village, which lies about six miles to the southwest of Manchester city centre, derives either from Fleecetown because of its 14th century connection with the woollen industry, or more probably has Scandinavian connections.

Flixton first appeared in historical records in 1777 and according to historians was most likely named after the Viking Flikkr or Flikke, who is credited with bringing Christianity to the area.

During the 18th and early 19th centuries Flixton was home to many handloom weavers. However, when large, powered mills began to be built during the early 19th century, the markets available to handloom weavers suffered a severe collapse and the area�s population fell by up to 50 per cent as people moved to the mills of Manchester to find work.

In 1852, the Stott family built a cotton mill at the corner of Flixton Road and Shawe Road. At its peak it employed up to 300 people, but closed in 1935.

These days, Flixton along with Urmston and Davyhulme, now forms part of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, but historically it lay within the county boundaries of Lancashire.

According to Dennis Wrigley, chairman of the Friends of Flixton group, the town had its heyday back in the 1930s, but is currently going through something of a transformation, which is being promoted by the action group.

�In the 1930s Flixton was a little village with a very strong sense of community. A lot of the people who lived here used to work in Manchester or Old Trafford, but many would still come home by train for lunch. It was the kind of place where everyone knew everybody else,� he said.

Apart from the Viking Flikke, the town was also popular with the famed explorer Dr David Livingstone, who spent many a happy summer in a small cottage in Flixton.

And in more recent times, Abbotsfield Park in the town, known by locals as Chassen Park was the unlikely venue for a 1963 Beatle�s concert, booked before the Fab Four hit the big time.

Today while neighbouring Urmston may have more of a nightlife, Flixton still has a lot going for it with two popular golf clubs, leisure centre, five churches and two parks, one of which was founded by Stanley Penlington, who got an agreement out of the council that the area would be left a green space, free from buildings.

To sum Flixton up, Mr Wrigley said over recent years the town is rediscovering its sense of community spirit and is a great place to live.

He said: �I love living here. The people are fantastic and the sense of community spirit from the 1930s is being rediscovered, which is great for Flixton.�